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legal and equitable relief
Team-build
Mar 8, 2020 10:41
4 yrs ago
29 viewers *
English term

fair meaning

English to French Law/Patents Law: Contract(s)
The language in all parts of this Agreement shall be construed, in all cases, according to its fair meaning.
Proposed translations (French)
4 +3 sens ordinaire
3 +2 sa signification la plus juste
4 sens général/ terminologie transparante
3 -1 en toute équité/de façon équitable

Discussion

Eliza Hall Mar 8, 2020:
Why "fair meaning" clause There's a principle in Anglo-American contract law under which ambiguous contract language is to be construed against the drafter. In other words, if one party drafted (wrote) the contract, then any term whose meaning isn't 100% clear will be interpreted to the detriment of that party, and in favor of the other party (the one that did not draft the contract).

You include a "fair meaning" clause to change that rule: to ensure that if the parties later end up litigating the contract, the court will NOT apply that rule; instead, regardless of who wrote the contract, the court will interpret any ambiguous terms according to their "fair meaning" (whatever the court can best determine, based on the language itself and any extrinsic evidence that may come in, is the proper meaning of that term).

I disagreed with PhB's answer because a fair meaning clause does NOT mean that the court will interpret every term in a way that's fair/equitable to the parties. It's fair to the language itself, not fair to the parties. Juste is best.

Basic explanation: https://www.allbusiness.com/ambiguities-clause-in-contracts-...

Sample clauses: https://www.lawinsider.com/clause/fair-meaning

Proposed translations

+3
7 hrs
Selected

sens ordinaire

Partout dans la présente convention, le [langage] [texte] doit être interprété, dans tous les cas, conformément à son sens ordinaire.

…les trois étapes de l’interprétation, les trois règles choisies sont(…) la literal rule ou obligation de donner prima facie aux mots leur sens ordinaire (fair meaning of the words)…
https://fr.scribd.com/document/46077833/Grands-Systemes-Juri...

…il y a lieu de prendre le sens naturel et ordinaire de ce texte comme base d'interpretation”; (...) construe them (the words) according to their natural and fair meaning”)…
https://books.google.ca/books?id=xfkEAQAAQBAJ&pg=PA206&dq=se...

…emphasising literalism - This meant the court must give words their full and fair meaning, that is the meaning they already have…
https://www.studocu.com/en-au/document/university-of-new-sou...
Peer comment(s):
agree ph-b (X) : ou « sens habituel » : « l'interprétation d'un texte de droit ne peut différer du sens habituel et bien établi du mot en français » (https://juricaf.org/arret/FRANCE-COURDECASSATION-20141209-13...
5 mins
Merci, ph-b.
agree erwan-l : Indeed!
6 hrs
Merci, erwan.
agree Maïté Mendiondo-George
15 hrs
Merci, Maïté.
neutral Eliza Hall : Ordinary meaning/plain meaning is not the same as fair meaning. Ordinary = normal everyday meaning of the word (the dictionary can answer this question); fair = dictionary meaning IN CONTEXT of contract, facts etc.
18 hrs
En FR, un mot peut avoir plusieurs sens dans le dictionnaire. Comment faites-vous au juste pour distinguer le "normal everyday meaning" sans tenir compte du contexte???
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
+2
1 hr

sa signification la plus juste

Je ne vois pas comment le tourner autrement...
Peer comment(s):
agree Eliza Hall : But it's "signification juste," not "la plus juste," IMHO.
2 hrs
agree GILLES MEUNIER
19 hrs
neutral Germaine : Équivoque. Quelle signification "juste" retenir? celle qui est équitable? ou celle qui est exacte?
1 day 5 hrs
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-1
4 hrs

en toute équité/de façon équitable


Je suppose qu'on parle ici de l'équité des stipulations/du contrat, dont le texte est l'expression, its pouvant très bien renvoyer à Agreement.

Franchising: Realities and Remedies, Forms Volumebooks.google.fr › books- Traduire cette page
Harold Brown, ‎J. Michael Dady, ‎Ronald K. Gardner - 2013 - ‎Law
Comment: Stating that the parties may disagree as to what is the "fair meaning " of the Agreement is an attempt by the franchisor to overcome strict construction ...

books.google.fr › books- Traduire cette page
John Bishop Ballem - 2008 - ‎Law
It is not the fair meaning of the agreement that without interruption respondents must produce a constant flow of oil in paying quantities, or lose their right to ...

GARDINER vs. HIGGINS, 234 Mass. 350 - Massachusetts Casesmasscases.com › cases › sjc
Traduire cette page
... refuse to rule that the fair meaning of the agreement was that the premises should be surrendered free of subtenants other than tenants at will or at sufferance.

On trouve des exemples d'« interprétation équitable » :

books.google.fr › books
Robert Kolb - 2015 - ‎Law
... même que l'on préconise une interprétation équitable

Le concept d’interprétation équitable pourrait être donc synonyme de justice.
https://biblio.ugent.be/publication/4336971/file/8635904.pdf

D'où :

The language in all parts of this Agreement shall be construed, in all cases, according to its fair meaning.
>
« L'ensemble du présent Accord est/doit être interprété en toutes circonstances en toute équité/de façon équitable. » Ou alors : « Toutes les parties du... sont/doivent être interprétées... ».

« Impartialité » vient aussi à l'esprit, mais je suppose qu'on réserverait ce terme à une décision/un jugement.



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Note added at 5 hrs (2020-03-08 15:51:58 GMT)
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Ou : « Le texte de l'ensemble du présent Accord... est/doit être interprété... » pour inclure language.
Peer comment(s):
disagree Eliza Hall : Its = the language's (the fair meaning of the language). See discussion for explanation of the contract term. PS: not "sens ordinaire" (see my answer to Germaine).
1 hr
Donc, « sens ordinaire/habituel ». Cf. la réponse de Germaine.
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23 hrs

sens général/ terminologie transparante

accessible à tout le monde
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